Wheel ignited gas lighter



Nov. 13, 1962 M. c. R. cAssAN WHEEL. IGNITED GAS LIGHTER 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct. 1l, 1960 Nov. 13, 1962 M. c. R. cAssAN 3,063,276

WHEEL IGNITED GAS LIGHTER Filed Oct. 11, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mwammm United States Patent Olitice 3,063,276 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 3,063,276 WHEEL IGNITED GAS LIGHTER Michel Camille Roland Cassan, Paris, France, assignor to Societe S. T. Dupont, Paris, France, a company of France Filed Oct. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 62,045 Claims priority, application France Oct. 15, 1959 11 Claims. (Cl. (S7-7.1)

The present invention has for its object a -gas lighter, of which the ignition is obtained by hand through actuation of a small wheel or roller, said novel lighter being extremely simple and reliable in operation. The improved gas lighter controlled by a wheel according to the invention is characterized by a connection between the small actuating knurled wheel or roller with the upper section of the gas container, as provided by members adapted to make said roller occupy selectively one of two extreme positions for each of which it is locked elastically; one of these positions forms an inoperative position for which the wheel controls, through the agency of members inserted therebetween, the closing of the passage of the gas, while the other or operative position is such that it allows the gas to ow out of its container, which latter position is entered by the wheel when urged into rotation in the direction which produces the desired sparks. Itis therefore suicient, when the lighter has been operated, to urge the wheel back into its gas-closing position.

The accompanying drawings illustrate, by way of example, various embodiments of the invention. In said drawings:

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate respectively in elevational view and cross-sectionally through line II-II of FIG. 1 the upper section of a gas-operated lighter incorporating means for closing the gas container.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate similarly a modifi-cation where in the liint carrier takes part in the translational movement of the actuating wheel.

FIG. 5 is a diametrical cross-section of a further modification provided with independent locking means.

FIG. 6 illustrates similarly a further embodiment, wherein the carrier of the actuating wheel is slidingly mounted on the body of the lighter.

In the drawings, A designates the gas container, of a cylindrical shape in the examples illustrated, while P designates the spark-producing flint, R the spring, the axis of which is shown at X1, X2, said spring urging the Hint into contact with the knurled wheel M which is rigid with the driving knob or operating wheel E and, iinally, B designates the burner or valve means acting as a container-closing member.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the controlling roller M is rigid with a spindle or shaft 1 moving inside a gate or slot 2 of the wheel-carrying member 3. The latter forms a strap or bracket, the lower section of which, 4, is held fast over the upper section 5 of the container A through ya force t of the projection 6a on the flint carrier 6 passing through the strap inside a corresponding recess provided in said section 5; said lower section 4 of the strap is provided in the making through stamping or otherwise with a stud 4a adapted to engage a recess 5a in a manner such as will ensure constancy in position for the member 3 4 carrying the actuating wheel. Y

Between the operating Wheel E andthe upper end of the flint carrier 6, there is inserted the perforated end of a lever L constituted, in the case considered, by an incurved spring blade, the outer end of which is also perforated and rests on the bearing 7 forming part of the burner B serving as a closing member for the container. The burner is mounted slidingly inside a member 8 screwed into the upper section 5 of the container and enclosing the expansion chamber 10 for the gas which enters said chamber through the wick m carried by the wick holder 9. Between the outlet of the expansion chamber 10 and the inner end of the closing burner B, there is inserted a porous mass 11 which prevents, when compressed, any release of the gas.

The incurved shape of the lever L is such that when the actuating wheel is in its inoperative position illustrated in dot-and-dash lines at M1 in FIG. 2, the latter acts on the burner B, so as to hold it in its position closing the container, while, when the actuating wheel is in its operative position M illustrated in solid lines, it releases completely the burner which slides upwardly under the pressure exerted by the gases. In either of said positions M, M1 located to either side of the axis X1, X2 of the spring R, the wheel is locked in a stable manner, on the one hand, by the pressure exerted by the ilint P and, on the other hand, by the bent shape of the spring blade L. It will be remarked that the shifting of the wheel from the position M1 into the position M is obtained automatically through actuation of the wheel in a conventional manner.

The body of the lighter is capped by a shield 12 protecting the llame and which is notched at 12a at its rear end, so as to allow the operators thumb which is actuating the wheel, to engage the latter without touching the shield; said shield is also notched at 12b along its front outline, so as not to interfere with the shifting of the wheel between its positions M and M1.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the actuating wheel is provided with two hub sections 13 freely turnable in apertures formed in the anges 14. The latter form the ends of the strap-shaped dint-carrying tube 15 which is adapted to move freely inside an elongated recess 16 in the body of the lighter, said recess continuing in the shape of a short cylindrical longitudinal recess 17. The operating wheel is made rigid with the actuating wheel M through the agency of a square sleeve 18, inside which is tted a spindle 19 slidingly engaging the gate 2. The locking of the wheel in either position is ensured by the controlling spring lever L.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the gates 2a formed in the ilanges of the bracket 3 carrying the actu Vating wheel, are slightly sloping at, say, about 15 with reference to horizontality and they extend vertically at one end at 20, so as to ensure a positive locking during operation under the action of a spring 21 bearing, on the one han-d, against a stud 15a carried by the end of the flint-carrying tube 15 and, on the other hand, on the bottom of the recess 17.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, the flint carrier 15 is similar to the int carrier illustrated in the preceding embodiments and the locking of the actuating wheel is obtained in a similar manner by the control spring lever L, the spindle 19 -being engaged with a force lit inside the lateral terminal ends of the bracket 22, the central section 23 of which is slidingly carried by the upper section 5 of the container in the lighter body. Its guiding is ensured furthermore by a screw 25 passing through an elongated port 24 formed in said central section 23 and, furthermore, by the two yarms 26 of the opposite forked end of said section 23, which arms engage cuts formed -in the wall of the casing of the lighter in parallelism with the plane of symmetry of the latter and forming between them a sort of tenon 27 which is held between said arms 26.

What I claim is:

l. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a iiint carrier carried by said casing, a ilint movably carried by said flint carrier; a knurled wheel; a spring carried by said flint carrier and engaging Said iiint so as to move the same into engagement 4with said knurled wheel; means mounted on said casing and carrying said knurled wheel turnable about its axis and movable substantially normal to its axis between two extreme positions, said wheel being shifted from one to its other extreme position by turning said wheel in a flint operating direction; means for releasing gas from said container; and means controlled by said wheel for closing said gas releasing means when said wheel is in said one extreme position and for permitting discharge of gas 4by said gas releasingV means when said wheel is shifted to its other extreme position by turning said wheel in said ilint operating direction.

2. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a flint carrier carried by said casing; a int movably carried by said flint cai"- rier; a knurled wheel; a spring carried by said flint carrier and engaging said int so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; means mounted on said casing and carrying said knurled wheel turnable about its axis and movable substantially normal to its axis between two extreme positions, said wheel being shifted from one to its other extreme position by turning said wheel in a flint operating direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said easing `and being movable between open and a closed position; and means controlled by said knurled -wheel and operatively connected to said valve means for `keeping said valve means in said closed position when said wheel is in said one of its extreme positions and for permitting discharge of gas by said valve means when said wheel is shifted to said other extreme position by turning said wheel in said flint operating direction.

3. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a iiint carrier having a longitudinal axis `and being carried yby said casing; a flint mounted in said int carrier movable along the longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel; a spring carried by said iiint carrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; a wheel carrier mounted on said casing and being formed with `at least one slot extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said Hint carrier and having opposite closed ends; a shaft carrying said wheel turnable `about its axis and being carried in said slot for turning about its axis and for sliding movement between said opposite ends of said slot so that said shaft together with said wheel is shifted from one end of the slot to the other end thereof between two extreme positions and said wheel is shifted from one to its other extreme position by turning said wheel in a int operating direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said casing and being movable between an open and a closed position; and

`means controlled by said knurled wheel and operatively connected to said valve means for keeping said valve means in said closed position when said wheel s in said one of its extreme positions and for permitting discharge of gas by said valve means when said wheel is shifted to said other extreme position by turning said wheel in said flint operating direction.

4. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a flint carrier having a longitudinal axis and `being iixedly mounted on said casing; a flint mounted in said iiint carrier movable along the longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled Wheel; a spring carried by said flint carrier and engaging said Hint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; a bracket xedly mounted on said casing and having a pair of flanges located on opposite sides of said flint carrier and being each formed with a slot extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier and having opposite closed ends; a Shaft carrying said wheel turnable about its axis and having opposite free end portions respectively located in said slots so that said shaft is mounted in said slots for turning about its axis and for sliding movement between said opposite ends of said slots and said shaft together with said wheel is shifted from one end of the slot to the other end thereof between two extreme positions and said wheel is shifted from one to its other extreme position by turning said wheel in a flint operating direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said casing and being movable between an open and `a closed position; and means controlled by said knurled wheel and operatively connected to said valve means for keeping said valve means in said closed position when said wheel is in said one of its extreme positions and for permitting discharge of gas by said valve means when said wheel is shifted to said other extreme position by turning said wheel in said flint operating direction.

5. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a flint carrier carried by said casing; a flint movably carried by said int carrier; a knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with and fixed to said knurled wheel; a spring carried by said flint car rier and engaging said iiint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; means mounted on said casing and carrying said wheels turnable about the common axis thereof and movable substantially normal to said axis thereof between two extreme positions so that said wheels are shifted from one to their other extreme position by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in a int operating direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said casing and being mounted thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered closed position and said valve means tending to move under the pressure of the gas in the casing to said raise open position; and a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion engaged by said operating wheel when said knurled wheel and said operating wheel connected thereto are `in said one extreme position so as to deflect that one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf spring against the pressure of the gas to said closed position, and said raised portion being disengaged from said operating wheel when said wheels are shifted to said other extreme position by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said int operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve means will move under the pressure of the gas to its open position.

6. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a int carrier having a longitudinal axis and being fixedly mounted on said casing; a int mounted in said carrier movable along said longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel arranged opposite said iiint carrier; a spring inside said int carrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with said knurled wheel and connected thereto for simultaneous rotation about a common axis thereof; a shaft extending along said common axis and being fixed to said wheels; a bracket fixedly mounted on said casing and having a pair of flanges located on opposite sides of said flint carrier and being each formed with a slot extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier and having opposite closed ends, said shaft being carried in said slots for turning movement about its axis and for sliding movement between said opposite ends of said slots so that said shaft and said wheels are shifted from one end of said slots to the other end thereof by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in a flint operating direction; valve means communicating with the interior of said casing and being mounted thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered closed position and said valve means tending to move to said raised open position under the pressure of the gas in said casing; and a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion engaged by said operating wheel when said shaft carrying said wheels is at said one end of said slots so as to deflect said one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf spring against the pressure of the gas to said closed position, and said raised portion of said spring being disengaged from said operating wheel when said shaft on which said wheels are mounted is shifted to said other end of said slots by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said flint operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve ,means will move under the pressure of the gas to its thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered closed position and said valve means tending to moveto said raised open position under the pressure of the gas in said casing; a flint carrier having a longitudinal axis and being mounted in said recess of said top wall of `said casing tiltable toward and away from said valve means and having at an upper end thereof a pair of flanges respectively formed with apertures therethrough aligned along a common axis extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of saidflint carrier; a flint mounted in said carrier movable along said longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel arranged opposite said flint carrier; a spring inside said flint carrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with said knurled wheel and connected thereto for simultaneous rotation about a common axis thereof; a shaft extending along said common axis and being fixed to said wheels and having opposite end portions located in said apertures so that said shaft is carried by said flint carrier turnable about its axis and movable toward and away from said valve means and said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means when said operating wheel is turned in a direction Which turns said knurled wheel in a flint operating direction; a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said Valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion .engaged by said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted toward said valve means so as to deflect said one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf springl against the pressure of the gas to said closed position, and said raised portion of said spring being disengaged from said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said flint operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve means will move under the pressure of the gas to its open position; and means mounted on said casing and engaging said flint carrier for limiting the tilting movement of said flint carrier and movement of said shaft away from said leaf spring so that said operating wheel will press on said leaf spring when said flint carrier is in the tilted position inclined toward said valve means.

8. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure and having a top wall formed with an elongated recess; valve means communieating with the interior of the casing and being mounted thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered closed position and said valve means tending to move to said raised open position under the pressure of the gas in said casing; a flint carrier having a longitudinal axis and being mounted in said recess of said top wall of said casing tiltable toward and away from said valve means and having at an upper end thereof a pair of flanges respectively formed with apertures therethrough aligned along a common axis extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier; a flint mounted in said carrier movable along said longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel arranged opposite said flint carrier; a spring inside said flint carrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with said knurled wheel and connected thereto for simultaneous rotation about a common axis thereof; a shaft extending along said common axis and being fixed to said wheels and having opposite end portions located in said apertures so that said shaft is carried by said flint carrier turnable about its axis and movable toward and away from said valve means and said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means when said operating wheel is turned in a direction which turns said knurled wheel in a flint operating direction; a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion engaged by said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted toward said valve means so as to deflect said one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf spring against the pressure of the gas to said closed position, and said raised portion of said spring being disengaged from said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said flint operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said `direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve means will move under the pressure of the gas to its open position; and a bracket flxedly mounted on said casing and having a pair of flanges respectively located on opposite sides of said flint carrier and being each formed with a slot extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier and having opposite closed ends, said shaft extending with opposite end portions thereof respectively through said slots so that the lopposite closed ends of the latter limit the tilting m'ovement of said flint carrier.

9. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure and having a top wall formed with an elongated recess; valve means communicating with the interior of the casing and being mounted thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered closed position and said valve means tending to move to said raised open position under the pressure of the gas in said casing; a flint carrier having a longitudinal axis and being mounted in said recess of said top wall of said casing tiltable toward and away from said valve means and having at an upper end thereof a pair of flanges respectively formed with apertures therethrough aligned along a common axis extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier; a flint mounted in said carrier movable along said longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel arranged opposite said flint carrier; a spring inside said flint carrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with said knurled wheel and connected thereto for simultaneous rotation about a common axis thereof; a shaft extending along said common axis and being fixed to said wheels and having opposite end portions located in said apertures so that said shaft is carried by said flint carrier turnable about its axis and movable toward and away from said valve means and said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means when said operating wheel is turned in a direction which turns said knurled wheel in a flint operating direction; a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion engaged by said operating wheel when said flint spaans carrier is tilted` toward 'said valve means so as to deflect said one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf spring against the pressure of the gas to said clo's'ed position, and said raised portion of said spring being disengaged from said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said flint operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve means will move under the pressure of the gas to its open position; and a bracket fxedly mounted on said casing and having a pair of flanges respectively located on opposite sides of said flint carrier and being each formed with a slot extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier and having opposite closed ends, said slots extending downwardly inclined from one toward the other of said closed ends and being sharply upwardly inclined at said other closed end, said shaft extending with opposite end portions thereof respectively through 'said slots so that the opposite closed ends of the latter limit the tilting movement of said flint carrier; and spring means engaging said flint carrier and tending to shift the same in upward direction so that said flint carrier will be resiliently locked in two extreme tilted positions in which the shaft carried by said upper end of said flint carrier is located at either of the closed ends of said slots.

10. A gas lighter comprising, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure and having a top wall formed with an elongated recess; valve means communieating with the interior of the casing and being mounted thereon movable between a raised open position and a lowered clos'ed position and said valve means tending to move to said raised open position under the pressure of the gas in said casing; a flint carrier having a longitudinal axis and being mounted in said recess of said top wall of said casing tiltable toward and away from said valve means and having at an upper end thereof a pair of flanges respectively formed with apertures therethrough aligned along a common axis extending transverse to said longitudinal axis of said flint carrier; a flint mounted in said carrier movable along said longitudinal axis thereof; a knurled wheel arranged opposite said flint carrier; a spring inside said flint cafrier and engaging said flint so as to move the same into engagement with said knurled wheel; an operating wheel coaxial with said knurled wheel and connected thereto for simultaneous rotation about a common axis thereof; a shaft extending along said cornmon axis and being fixed to said wheels and having opposite end portions located in said apertures so that said shaft is carried by said flint carrier turnable about its axis and movable toward and away from said valve mens and said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means when said operating wheel is turned in a direction which turns said knurled wheel in a flint operating direction; a leaf spring extending between said casing and said operating wheel and engaging with one end thereof said valve means and having intermediate its ends a raised portion engaged by said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted toward said valve means so as to deflect said one end of said leaf spring to move said valve means engaged by said one end of said leaf spring against the pressure of the gas to said closed position, and said raised portion of said spring being disengaged from said operating wheel when said flint carrier is tilted away from said valve means by turning said operating wheel in a direction which turns the knurled wheel connected thereto in said flint operating direction, so that when said wheels are turned in said direction said leaf spring will be released and said valve means will move under the pressure of the gas to its open position; and a bracket flxedly mounted on said casing and having a pair of flanges respectively located at opposite sides of said flint carrier and being each formed with an aperture forming bearings through which opposite end portions of said shaft respectively extend; and means mounting said bracket on said top wall of saidcasing for sliding movement towards and away from said valve means.

11. In a gas lighter, in combination, a casing for holding a gas under pressure; a flint carrier carried by said casing; a flint carried by said flint carrier; a knurled wheel; means mounted on said casing and carrying said knurled wheel turnable about its axis and movable transverse to said axis between an operating position and a rest position, and said wheel being moved from said rest position to said operating position by turning said wheel in a flint operating direction; means for releasing gas from said container; and means controlled by said Wheel for permitting discharge of gas by Said gas releasing means when said wheel is moved from its rest to its operating position by turning said wheel in said flint operating direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,810,282 Mayer oct. 22, 1957 2,948,134 Quercia Aug. 9, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,137,906 France Jan. 2l, 1957 

